SPE Style Guide to Write Publications

8/10/2019 SPE Style Guide to Write Publications

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Society of Petroleum Engineers

Style Guide

Updated: 31 August 2011

Copyright 2011. Society of Petroleum Engineers


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Updated 31 August 2011i

FOREWORD

The Society of Petroleum Engineers (SPE) produces print and electronic publications and marketing

materials that are distributed to engineers and others in the oil and gas industry worldwide. Because SPE

disseminates technical information for a worldwide readership, it is particularly important to avoid local

terminology and to adhere as closely as possible to recognized and widely accepted modes of English

expression. Clear writing is essential to enhance the comprehension of SPE publications by readers from a

number of geographic areas, nationalities, and language backgrounds.

SPEs rules of style are intended to promote clarity, conciseness, accuracy, and consistency in the

societys publications. Guidelines on customary abbreviations for engineering units; numbering of

references, figures, tables, equations, and appendices; language usage; nomenclatures and references lists;

and punctuation are included in this booklet. The following writing guides are also helpful.

Bernstein, T. 1983. The Careful WriterA Modern Guide to English Usage.New York City:Atheneum Publishers.

Strunk, W. Jr. and White, E.B. 1979. The Elements of Style,third edition. New York City:MacMillan Publishing Company

The Chicago Manual of Style, 16th edition.2010. Chicago: University of Chicago Press.

Websters Third New International Dictionary.2002. Springfield, Massachusetts: Merriam-

Webster.

SPE developed this Style Guide primarily for its own purposes, and it may reflect compromises or

differences required by SPEs desire for a consistent style across its variety of communications

magazines, journals, books, websites, conference programs, and more. While SPE believes that many

others may find the guidance in this document helpful, other publications or applications may have

somewhat different needs that require some differences in style. SPEs objective in making this Style

Guide available is to help authors and others understand the style that SPE will use in its publications. It

is not SPEs intention to try to establish a style that is broadly applicable across the oil and gas industry;

rather, the intent is to define how SPE will treat style questions in its own publications.

This Style Guide contains some repetition by design. The purpose of this repetition is to make the

information easy to locate for someone applying the Style Guide. If the section is short, it has been

repeated. If long, then a reference to the other section of the document has been included.


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Updated 31 August 2011ii

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Foreword ....................................................................................................................................................... i

1 TIPS FOR CLEARER WRITING .................................................................................................... 4

2

COMMON ERRORS IN USAGE/GRAMMAR .............................................................................. 5

3

SPELLING .......................................................................................................................................... 9

3.1 General ............................................................................................................................................ 9

3.2

British/US Spellings ...................................................................................................................... 10

3.3 Oil Industry Terms ......................................................................................................................... 10

4

ABBREVIATIONS ........................................................................................................................... 18

4.1 General .......................................................................................................................................... 18

4.2 Common Abbreviations ................................................................................................................. 19

4.3

Units .......................................................................................................................................... 21

4.4 Chemicals ....................................................................................................................................... 23

4.5

Organizations ................................................................................................................................. 23

5 PUNCTUATION ............................................................................................................................... 24

5.1 Comma .......................................................................................................................................... 24

5.2

Colon .......................................................................................................................................... 25

5.3

Semicolon ...................................................................................................................................... 26

5.4

Apostrophe .................................................................................................................................... 27

5.5

Parentheses ..................................................................................................................................... 27

5.6 Quotation Marks ............................................................................................................................ 28

5.7 Dashes .......................................................................................................................................... 28

5.8 Hyphenation ................................................................................................................................... 29

5.9

Ampersands ................................................................................................................................... 31

5.10 Web-Related Items......................................................................................................................... 32

5.11 Typeface ......................................................................................................................................... 32

6 NAMES .............................................................................................................................................. 34

6.1

People, Personal Titles, Degrees .................................................................................................... 34

6.2

Companies, Organizations ............................................................................................................. 36

6.3

Geographic ..................................................................................................................................... 37

6.4 Meeting Names .............................................................................................................................. 38

7 NUMBERS......................................................................................................................................... 39

7.1 General .......................................................................................................................................... 39


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7.2 Dates and Times ............................................................................................................................. 40

7.3 Phone Numbers .............................................................................................................................. 40

7.4

Units of Measure ............................................................................................................................ 40

7.5 Whole Numbers ............................................................................................................................. 41

7.6

Fractions......................................................................................................................................... 42

7.7 Currency ......................................................................................................................................... 43

7.8 Dimensions .................................................................................................................................... 43

8

ELEMENTS OF TECHNICAL PAPERS ...................................................................................... 43

8.1 Titles and Headings ....................................................................................................................... 43

8.2

Author and Company Names ......................................................................................................... 44

8.3 Numbering Tables, Figures, and Equations ................................................................................... 47

8.4 Enumeration of Points.................................................................................................................... 48

8.5

Equations ....................................................................................................................................... 49

8.6 Units .......................................................................................................................................... 50

8.7

Symbols and Nomenclature ........................................................................................................... 50

8.8

References ...................................................................................................................................... 52

8.9

Footnotes ........................................................................................................................................ 62

8.10 Conversion Factors ........................................................................................................................ 62

8.11 Author Bios .................................................................................................................................... 65

8.12 Figures .......................................................................................................................................... 65

8.13 Tables .......................................................................................................................................... 66

8.14 Checklist of Items .......................................................................................................................... 67

APPENDIX A

Greek Alphabet ............................................................................................................. 68

APPENDIX B

Math Signs and Operators ........................................................................................... 69

APPENDIX C

Common Proofreading Marks .................................................................................... 70

APPENDIX DSample Figures.............................................................................................................. 71

APPENDIX ESample Tables ............................................................................................................... 73


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1 TIPS FOR CLEARER WRITING

Use Active Voice.The use of active rather than passive voice produces clearer, more concise writing.

Examples:

Passive voice: An improved method was recommended by the authors.

Results of the five experiments are shown in Fig. 2.

Active voice: The authors recommended an improved method.

Fig. 2 shows results of the five experiments.

Minimize the Use of Long, Complex Sentences. Most technical writing experts recommend an average

sentence length of approximately 25 words. A mix of long and short sentences and a varied sentence

structure are most readable.

Limit the Use of Abbreviations. Limit use of abbreviations to those that are used often in the article. Do

not abbreviate terms used only once. When an abbreviation is used, spell out the term at the first use and

present the abbreviation in parentheses following it; then use only the abbreviation in the rest of the paper.

Example:

We analyzed X-ray computerized tomography (CT) saturation profiles of waterfloods, oilfloods, andmiscible core floods.

Rules on the use of abbreviations and a list of common oil industry terms and their abbreviations appear

in Section 4.

Write Concisely. Avoid repeating information. Eliminate unnecessary words and flowery language. A

short word often is preferable to a longer word or phrase with the same meaning.


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Examples:

Instead of Use

in order to to

due to the fact that because

utilize use

for the purpose of to

in reference to about

employ use

Avoid Jargon. The specialized term used for an object, place, or method in your geographic area or

discipline might not be common elsewhere. Use the commonly accepted name or English word rather

than local industry jargon.

2 COMMON ERRORS IN USAGE/GRAMMAR

ability, capacity Abilityis the human power to do; capacityis the power to receive.

about Do not use as a synonym forapproximately;use that word instead.

all of Except with pronouns, ofis unneeded (e.g., all the drill bits, but all of

them).

allow, enable Allowmeans to not prevent from happening; enablemeans to facilitate

happening.

alternate, alternative Alternatemeans one after the other; alternativemeans one or the other.

among, between Use amongwhen referring to three or more and betweenwhen referring to

two (e.g., between Wells A and B) or to reciprocal relationships shared by

two or more (e.g., unitization betweenthe operators).

as Often imprecise when used as a subordinate conjunction indicating cause.

Sometimes used to mean while, when, because,or since; choose the precise

word.

as to whether, whether

or notWhetheris usually sufficient.

assure, ensure, insure Assuremeans to encourage;ensure means to make certain. Insure

should be used when referring to underwriting a loss.


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based on The main noun in a sentence is based onthe subordinate noun contained in

the based on phrase.

Correct: Based on poor results, our decision was to terminate the project.

Incorrect: Based on poor results, we decided to terminate the project.On

the basis ofshould replace based on here.

below Do not use as a synonym for less than.

commence, initiate Use beginor start.

compare to, compare

with

Compare toimplies resemblances between essentially different ideas or

things; compare withimplies contrasts between essentially similar ideas or

things. Thus, waterflooding operations compare togas lift operations; Well 1

production compares withthat of Well 2.

complement,

compliment

Complementmeans (1) fill up or make complete; (2) the quantity required to

complete something (e.g., the personnel of a ship); or (3) one of two mutuallycompleting parts. Complimentmeans praise or respect. Complimentary

means without cost.

comprise Means to embraceor to include.The whole comprisesits parts. Comprised

ofis incorrect.

connote, denote Connote is to imply; denoteis to be explicit.

currently, presently Currentlymeans it is happening now. Presentlymeans it will happen soon.

data Takes a plural verb. Datumis singular.

differentfrom One thing differs fromanother; different thanis grammatically incorrect.For example, Life in the industry was different than he had expected it to be

should be rewritten as Life in the industry was different fromwhat he had

expected it to be.

dilemma Does not meana problem but implies a choice between two unattractive

alternatives.

domestic Use the country to indicate the origin, since domestic will differ based on the

location of the reader. For example, use USto designate items of American

origin.due to Use through, because of, caused by, resulting from, owing toif possible.

due to the fact that Use because.

effect, affect Effect means result(noun) or to bring about(verb). Affectmeans to

influence.

employed Use usedinstead.


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etc. Means and so forth and should be used at the end of a list that makes clear

exactly what kinds of other things are implied. Not correct when used at the

end of a list introduced by such as or for example.

fact Actual factand true factare redundant expressions. All facts are true and

actual.

farther, further Use fartherwhen distance is implied, furtherwhen referring to time or

quantity.

graph A graph(noun) is a drawing that exhibits a relationship. Useplotted(verb)

when you mean to locate points or figures on a graph.

having It is better to usewith.

hopefully Means with hope.Incorrectly used in Hopefully, we can leave tomorrow.

Correct use would be, We should be able to leave tomorrow, he said

hopefully.

if, whether Ifimplies uncertainty, whetherimplies an alternative.

imply, infer Something suggested or indicated is implied; something deduced from

evidence is inferred. A writer impliesand a reader infers.

in order to Simply use to.

input Often used incorrectly as a verb; enteris a verb, and inputis a noun.

irregardless Incorrect; use regardless.

knot A knotis 1 nautical mile (6,076.1 ft or 1852 m) per hour. The expression

knots per houris redundant.

less, fewer Lessrefers to quantity, fewerto number. We used lesscement and fewer

truckloads.

located Use positionedinstead where applicable and necessary; usually, however,

just remove as redundant.

majority, minority Use only when referring to numbers of things, not size.

none Uses singular verb when meaning no oneornot one.

on line, online/off line,

offline

When something is started up, it is said to be brought on line(two words);

when being turned off, it is said to be taken off line(again, two words). Theexact verb can vary: put on line, set off line, etc.; the usage is often literal,

referring to mechanical/electronic devices, but it also can be used

metaphorically for any system or practice to be used or not. In nearly all other

instances, onlineand offlineare adjectives used as single words only.


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only Onlygoes next to the word it modifies. The standard is based only on data

from one source. The same rule applies to primarily, largely, principally,

mainly,partly, and completely.

over Means abovein a physical sense; do not use as a substitute for more thanor

greater than.

presently Seecurrently.

principal, principle Principal(noun or adj.) means first or foremost. Principle(noun) means a

basic truth or determined course of action.

prior to Use before.

proved, proven Proved(verb) is the past tense of prove, meaning to establish truth or

validity. Proven is used as an adjective that is used directly before a noun,

meaning verified, as in a proven talent.Exception:The phrase proved

reserves, in which proved is an adjective, has a long history of usage in theindustry and is therefore considered acceptable.

seasons Seasons of the year are not capitalized except in this construction: Fall

1980.

since Implies passage of time; use becausewhen meaning the reason for.

so as to Use thereby.

subsequent to Use after.

takes into account Use accounts for.

that, which That is the defining or restrictive pronoun;whichis the nondefining ornonrestrictive pronoun. The automobile thatis out of gas is in the

driveway, tells which automobile. The automobile,whichis out of gas, is

in the driveway, adds a fact about the only automobile in question.

under way Two words.

unique Means without equal.There can be no degrees of uniqueness. Thus, almost

unique, totally unique, partially unique, etc., are incorrect.

upscale Use scale upas the verb form.

using, by using Generally substitute by use of(for using) or with (forby using).utilize Useis preferable.

very In technical writing, often overused and imprecise: The results are very

significant. To express how significant the results are, report thep-value.

via Means by way ofin a geographical sense, notby means of.


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where, which Whererefers to physical location; which(generally preceded by a

preposition)refers to other circumstances, such as condition. Depending on

the sentence, the preposition may be different: at which, by which, in which,

with which, etc.

Wrong: There have been four studies where the results contradict these

findings.

Right: There have been four studies in whichthe results contradict these

findings.

By convention, where is used in mathematical expressions (Example:

Suppose that a= bq+ r,where 0 r< b.)

whose, of which Whoserefers to something owned/possessed by a person; of whichrefers to

something owned by or pertaining to a thing, such as a physical property of

it. Wrong: The experiment, whose results are widely accepted, has not been

duplicated. Right: The experiment, the results of whichare widely

accepted, has not been duplicated.

3 SPELLING

3.1 General

3.1.1 In the growing vocabulary of the industry, many verb/adverb or verb/preposition combinations

are combined into one word. They should be written as two words when used as verbs.

workover well to work over the well

at breakthrough water will break through

buildup pressure pressure can build up

3.1.2 Certain compounds formed by two nouns should be written as one word when combined to form

an adjective.

casinghead gas the casing head

oilfield problems an oil field

oilwell tools the oil well


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3.1.3 With fracturing appearing commonly in mass media, many news organizations use the verb

fracking. However, SPE style uses this only when directly quoting someone else; in all other

cases the word fracturing is spelled out.

3.1.4 A number of words in English take the Latin plural form.

analyses indices strata data appendices

vortices media radii criteria phenomena

3.2 British/US Spellings

US spelling conventions are followed for SPE periodicals, books, and most other materials, with

the exception of theJournal of Canadian Petroleum Technology, which follows standard

conventions for Canada. Paper titles for all SPE meeting programs and proceedings follow

whichever English spelling convention the author(s) elect(s) to use. Programs and other

promotional materials prepared for meetings organized by SPE offices in Dubai, Kuala Lumpur,

London, and Moscow (most meetings held in Europe, the Middle East, the Indian subcontinent,

Africa, and the Asia Pacific region) follow British spelling conventions. SPE meetings organized

from the SPE office in Dallas follow US spelling conventions. All program material, regardless of

the responsible office, should be consistent throughout.

3.3 Oil Industry Terms

Listed here are the preferred spellings of common terms in SPE literature (except as noted in

Section 3.2).


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A

a posteriori

a priori

aboveground (adj.)

acknowledgment

adviser

afterflow

afterproduction (adj.)

alongside

analog

anti (joined prefix)

axisymmetric

B

backflow

backflush

backpressure (noun, adj.)

backrake

backup (noun, adj.)

backwash

ballout (noun)

bandwidth

-based (hyphenated suffix)

baseline

bean up (verb phrase)

beanup (noun)

bicenter

bleedoff (noun)

blowdownblowout (noun, adj.)

borehole

bottomhole (adj.)

bottomwater (noun, adj.)

breakdown (noun, adj.)

breakthrough

brownfield (noun, adj.)

bubblepoint (noun, adj.)

build up (verb)

buildup (noun, adj.)

bullheading

buoyant

bypass

byproduct

C

caprock

carry-over (noun)

Cartesian

casinghead (adj.)

catalog

centerline

changeover (noun, adj.)

channeling

chokeline (noun)

Christmas tree

clean out (verb)

cleanout (noun, adj.)

clean up (verb)

cleanup (noun, adj.)

cloudpoint

co (joined prefix)

coalbed

coal gas (noun)

coal-gas (adj.)

coastline

coauthor (noun only)

cofferdam

coiled tubing (noun)

coiled-tubing (adj.)

cokriging


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coreflood (noun, adj.)

cost-effective

counter (joined prefix, except counter-

ion)

crossbed

crossfault

crossflow

crosslink (noun, verb)

crossplot

cross section (noun)

cross-sectional (adj.)

crosswell (adj.)

cutoff (noun, adj.)

D

database

de-aeration

deep water (noun)

deepwater (adj.)

dewpoint (noun, adj.)

disk (disc in zoology and botany)dogleg

dot-com

down (joined prefix)

drainhole

drawdown

drawworks

drill bit (noun)

drill-bit (adj.)

drill collar

drill-in fluid

drill off (verb phrase)

drilloff (noun, adj.)

drillout (noun, adj.)

drillpipe

drillship

drillsite

drillstem

drillstring

drive (joined suffix)

E

e-business

e-commerce

edge water (noun)

edgewater (adj.)

electric line

electrical submersible pumpelectro (joined prefix)

email

endpoint

engine room

extra (joined prefix in most uses)

extranet

Ffail-safe

fallback (noun)

falloff

farm out (verb phrase)

farmout (adj.)

feedwater (noun)

Fiberglas (trade name)

fiberglass (generic term)fiber-optic (adj.)

fieldwide (adj.)

fill up (verb)

fill-up (noun, adj.)

filter cake (noun)

filter-cake (adj.)


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fireflood

fire tube (noun)

fire-tube (adj.)

firsthand

five-spot (noun, adj.)

flood front

floodwater

flowback (noun, adj.)

flow chart

flowline (noun, adj.)

flow loop

flowmeter

flow ratefold (joined suffix)

follow-up (adj., noun)

frac pack (noun)

frac-pack (adj.)

-free (hyphenated suffix)

freestanding

fresh water (noun)

freshwater (adj., adv.)

G

gamma ray log (no hyphen)

gas cap

gas field (noun)

gasfield (adj.)

gasflood

gas lift (noun, adj.)gauge

gray (not grey)

gridblock

gridpoint

groundtruthing

groundwater (noun, adj.)

guar

guidepile

H

half-length

half-life (noun, adj.)

half-width

heavyweight

hindcast

hold down (verb)

holddown (noun)

hold up (verb)

holdup (noun, adj.)

hookload (noun)

hookup (noun, adj.)

hot-water (adj.)

huff n puff

I

in situ (adv.)

in-situ (adj.)

infill

inter (joined prefix)

Internet

intranet

J

jack up (verb)

jackup (adj.)

judgment

K

kerosene

keypunch


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keyseat

kick off (verb phrase)

kickoff (noun)

knockout (noun, adj.)

knowledge base

L

laboratory (not lab)

leak off (verb)

leakoff (noun, adj.)

life cycle

liftoff (noun)

lightweight

line pipe

lock up (verb phrase)

lockup (noun)

log-normal

long-reach

long-standing

M

main-bore (adj.)

main bore (noun)

make up (verb)

makeup (noun, adj.)

man-hour

man-year

meter (not metre)

micro (joined prefix)

mid (joined prefix)

Mid-Continent (SPE section)

milled-tooth bit

mineback (noun)

mis-tie(s)

mixed-wet

modeled

modeling

moonpool

motherbore

mudcake

mudline

mud motor

mud-weight (adj.)

multi (joined prefix)

multiphase flow

N

naphtha

net-pay

non (joined prefix)

O

off-bottom

offline (adj.)

offset

offshore

off-take (noun)

oil field (noun)

oilfield (adj.)

oilflood

oil well (noun)

oilwell (adj.)

oil-wet

OnePetro

online (adj.) (see Sec. 2)

on-site (adj., adv.)

on-stream (adj.)

open flow

openhole (adj.)

outcrop


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over (joined prefix)

P

pack off (verb phrase)

packoff (noun)

padeye

particle-size distribution

pay out (verb)

payout (noun)

phase out (verb phrase)

phaseout (noun)

pick up (verb phrase)

pickup (noun, adj.)pinchout (noun)

pinch out (verb phrase)

pipeline

plaster of Paris

plexiglass

plugback

Poissons ratio

poly (joined prefix)pore-water fluid

Portland cement

post- (hyphenated prefix)

pre (joined prefix)

preventative

printout (noun)

pro (joined prefix)

pseudo (joined prefix)pseudosteady state (noun)

pseudosteady-state (adj.)

pulse-loading

pumpdown

pumphead

pumpoff (adj.)

Q

quasi (joined prefix, except quasi-

equilibrium)

R

rate-pressure

rathole

re (joined prefix)

read out (verb phrase)

readout (noun)

real time (noun)

real-time (adj.)

rigsite

roller-cone bit

S

salt water (noun)

saltwater (adj., adv.)

sandface

sandout

sandpack

sand screen

scaleup (noun, adj.)

screenout (noun, adj.)

seabed, seafloor

sealbore

seastate (noun, adj.)

seawaterseismic (adj.)

seismics (noun)

self- (hyphenated prefix)

semi (joined prefix)

setup (noun)

shaly


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shoreline

short-term

shut down (verb phrase)

shutdown (noun)

shut in (verb)

shut-in (noun, adj.)

shut off (verb)

shutoff (noun, adj.)

sidetrack

sidewall

slackoff

slickline

slickwaterslimhole

slimtube

slow down (verb phrase)

slowdown (noun)

slug catcher

space out

speed up (verb phrase)

speedup (noun)splash plate

standalone (adj.)

standby (adj.)

stand off (verb)

standoff (noun, adj.)

standpipe

start up (verb)

startup (noun, adj.)steady state (noun)

steady-state (adj.)

steam chest

steamdrive (noun, adj.)

steamflood

step-out (adj.)

stepout (noun)

stepwise

stick/slip

stock tank (noun)

stock-tank (adj.)

stopcock

straightedge

straightline (adj.)

streamtube

sub (joined prefix)

sulfate

sulfide

sulfursuper (joined prefix)

swage (not swedge)

sweepout (noun, adj.)

T

tail pipe

thin-section (noun in laboratory tests)

throughput

through-tubing (adj.)

tieback (noun, adj.)

tie line (noun)

tie-line (in mathematics)

timeline

timestep (noun)

timetable

tool facetool joint

topdrive

tophole (adj.)

towout (noun, adj.)

traveltime

tricone


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trunkline

tubinghead (adj.)

twistoff

type curve (noun)

type-curve (adj.)

U

ultra (joined prefix)

ultradeepwater

un (joined prefix)

under (joined prefix)

under way

up (joined prefix)

updip

uphole/upstream

V

V-door

vendor

viscoelastic

W

wash out (verb phrase)

washout (noun)

waste water (noun)

wastewater (adj.)

water block

water blocking

water cut (noun)

water-cut (adj.)

waterdrive

waterflood

waterfrac

water-wet

Web

website

well-being

wellbore

wellblock

wellhead

wellpoint

wellsite

wellstreamwell test

wide (joined suffix)

wind field (noun)

windfield (adj.)

wind speed (noun)

wireline

wise (joined suffix)

workforcework group

work over (verb)

workover (noun, adj.)

work string

worldwide

World Wide Web

X

X-ray


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4 ABBREVIATIONS

4.1 General

4.1.1 Use abbreviations sparingly. Spell out the term at first use, place the abbreviation in parentheses

after it, then use the abbreviation in the remainder of the manuscript.

4.1.2 Academic and honorary degrees should be abbreviated without periods or spaces. Adding the

word degree after the abbreviation is optional.

PhD degree MS degree MBA MA

4.1.3 Abbreviations of names of societies and government agencies should have no periods or spaces.

SPE IADC SPWLA NPF

4.1.4 Use these abbreviations for these major political entities.

UAE United Arab Emirates US United States of America

UK United Kingdom EU European Union

4.1.5 Abbreviate units of measurement in the text only when used with numerical values (unless the

abbreviation replaces a very long phrase, such as several scf/D for several standard cubic feet

per day). A list of preferred abbreviations for engineering units appears in Sec. 4.3.10.

25 ft 50103ft3/D 10 dm3 3 cm3

4.1.6 Use the same abbreviation for both singular and plural forms of measurements. (See also Sec.

7.4.5.)

4.1.7 Abbreviate and capitalize equation, figure, reference, and column when followed by a

number or designating letter. Do not abbreviate table, appendix or page. Abbreviate

number when it is part of the proper name of a well, but omit the word in other cases. Do not

use # as an abbreviation for number.

Fig. 6 Eq. 5 Well 9 Col. A

No. 4 Table 10 Appendix C Page 57


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4.2 Common Abbreviations

4.2.1 The following terms are often abbreviated in SPE literature. If used repeatedly in an article, they

should be spelled out at first use (in the text, not counting use in the title), followed by the

abbreviation in parentheses, and abbreviated throughout the rest of the article.one-, two-, three-, four-dimensional

1D, 2D, 3D,4D

alternating current AC

bachelor of arts BA

bachelor of science BS

barrel of oil equivalent BOE

basic sediment and water BS&W

blowout preventer BOPbottomhole assembly BHA

bulletin board system BBS

capture unit c.u.

cathode ray tube CRT

central processing unit CPU

cold water equivalent CWE

computerized tomography CT

computer user group CUG

direct current DC

exempli gratia (for example) e.g.,

et al. (and others) et al.

et cetera (and the rest) etc.

exploration and production E&P

enhanced oil recovery EOR

equation of state EOS

equivalent circulating density ECD

file transfer protocol FTP

formation volume factor FVF

gas chromatography GC

gas/oil contact GOC

Gulf of Mexico GOM

gas/oil ratio GOR

graphical user interface GUI

health, safety, security, and environment HSSE

high-pressure/high-temperature HP/HT

hydrocarbon pore volume HCPV

hydrolyzed polyacrylamide HPAM

hydroxyethyl cellulose HEC

hydroxypropyl guar HPG

id est (that is) (i.e.,)inside diameter ID

interfacial tension IFT

international oil company IOC

kelly bushing KB

lease automatic custody transfer LACT

liquefied natural gas LNG

liquefied petroleum gas LPG

local area network LAN

master of arts MA

measured depth MD

measured depth from rotary table MDRT

master of science MS

measurement while drilling MWD

national oil company NOC

nuclear magnetic resonance NMR

net present value NPV

oil-based mud OBM

oil in place OIP

oil initially in place OIIP

oil originally in place OOIP

operating system OS

original oil in place OOIP


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outside diameter OD

porosity units p.u.

pounds of proppant added ppa

doctor of philosophy PhD

pore volume PVpressure/volume/temperature PVT

productivity index PI

research and development R&D

rate of penetration ROP

residual oil saturation ROS

root mean square RMS

scanning electron microscope SEM

self-potential SPshots per foot spf

specific gravity SG

total dissolved solids TDS

total depth TD

true vertical depth TVD

ultraviolet UV

uniform resource locator URLversus vs.

water alternating gas WAG

water-based mud WBM

water/oil contact WOC

water/oil ratio WOR

weight on bit WOB

wide area network WAN

World Wide Web WWWX-ray diffraction XRD

4.2.2 With regard to acronyms, leave them all uppercase if they are true acronyms, in which each

letter stands for an actual word. False acronyms are brought into downstyle (i.e., uppercase first

letter only).

THUMS (Texaco, Humble, Union, Mobil, Standard)OPEC (Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries)

Arco (Atlantic Richfield Company)

4.2.3 Many programming languages, some software applications, and a few other products have their

names trademarked in all capital letters and are exceptions to the true acronyms rule; if the

name is a trade name, capitalize the entire nameor the indicated portion of itaccording to the

trademarked style.

BASIC, COBOL, FORTRAN, Macintosh OS, QuarkXPress, UNIX


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4.3 Units

4.3.1 Do not add s to abbreviated forms of plural units of measure; use the same abbreviation for

both singular and plural forms (e.g., 10 bbl, not 10 bbls).

Note: Add the s when the unit is spelled out (e.g., darcy/darcies, day/days, ton/tons, and

mile/miles) or when it appears without a number.

The permeabilities of the samples varied widely.

In the experiment, the weight was measured in tons.



per day).

25 ft 5 103

ft3

/D 10 dm3

3 cm3

Abbreviate such units in figures and tables.

4.3.3 For units of time, use the customary abbreviations sec (second), min (minute), hr (hour),

and yr (year). Use the metric abbreviations s (second), min (minute), h (hour), d (day)

(in metric units only; use D with nonmetric units), and a (year), in combined units only.

Otherwise, spell out the term.

42 m/d, but42 days 34 ft/D, but34 days 12 cm/s, but12 seconds

4.3.4 Use abbreviations instead of ciphers or symbols to represent customary units of measurement.

lbm or lbf, not # in., not ft, not

4.3.5 Use the degree sign () with angles, temperatures [except for metric K (Kelvin)], and compass

coordinates.

20 slope 65F 2W 30API

4.3.6 Use the slash (/) in place of per between two abbreviated units of measurement.

40 psi/ft 15 cm/s 40 lbm/ft

Exceptions:

shots/ft is written thus at first use, followed by (spf) to indicate its abbreviated form in furtheruses

BLPD, BOPD, BFPD, BWPD are other exceptions allowed where P is used for per.


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4.3.7 Use the hyphen (-) in customary units and the product dot () in metric units to indicate

multiplication in combined units.

md-ft mdm B/D-psi m3/dkPa

4.3.8 Use lbm for pounds mass and lbf for pounds force.

4.3.9 Use cm3, not cc, for cubic centimeter.

4.3.10 The following are abbreviations for common oilfield units of measure. Consult theSPE Metric

Standardfor a complete listing of preferred SI units.

barrels of fluid per day BFPD [m3/d fluid]

barrels of liquid per day BLPD [m3/d liquid]

barrels of oil per day BOPD [m3/d oil]

barrels of water per day BWPD [m3/d water]

barrels per day B/D [m3/d]

barrels per minute bbl/min [m3/s]

billion cubic feet Bcf [109m3]

billion cubic feet per day Bcf/D [109m3/d]

cubic feet per barrel ft3/bbl [m3/m3]

cubic feet per day ft3/D [m3/d]

cubic feet per minute ft3/min [m3/s]

cubic feet per pound mass ft3/lbm [m3/kg]

cubic feet per second ft3/sec [m3/s]

cubic yard cu yd

darcy (spell out)

dead-weight ton DWT [Mg]

feet per minute ft/min [m/s]

feet per second ft/sec [m/s]

foot-pound lbf-ft or ft-lbf [J]

gallons per minute gal/min [m3/s]

gallons per day gal/D [m3/d]

gram g

horsepower-hour hp-hr [J]

inches per second in./sec [cm/s]

kilopond (1,000 lbf) klbf [N]

kilowatt hour kW-hr [J]

kips per square inch ksi [Pa]

millidarcy md

million electron volts MeV [MJ]

million cubic feet MMcf

mils per year mil/yr [ m/a]

ohm

pound per cubic foot lbm/ft3[kg/m3]

pound per gallon lbm/gal [kg/m3]

reservoir barrel res bbl [res m3]

reservoir barrel per day RB/D [res m3/d]

square feet ft2[m2]

square mile sq mile [km2]


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standard cubic feet per barrel scf/bbl

standard cubic feet per day scf/D [std m3/d]

standard cubic foot scf [std m3]

stock-tank barrel STB [stock-tank m3]

stock-tank barrels per day STB/D

[stock-tank m3/d]

stoke St [m2/s]

thousand cubic feet Mcf

trillion cubic feet Tcf [1012m3]

4.3.11 Abbreviations MM for million and M for thousand should be used ONLY with cubic feet to

express gas volumes. Avoid the use of MM with such expressions as barrels of oil (MMBO) or

barrel of oil equivalent (MMBOE); instead, spell out million.

4.4 Chemicals

butane C4

carbon dioxide CO2

carbon monoxide CO

ethane C2

heptane C7

hexane C6

hydrofluoric acid HF

hydrogen sulfide H2S

hydrochloric acid HCl

isobutane i-C4

isopentane i-C5

methane C1

nitrogen oxides NOx

pentane C5

potassium chloride KCl

propane C3

sodium chloride NaCl

4.5 Organizations

The following are abbreviations for some of the organizations that may be mentioned in SPE

literature. When these organization names are used often in an article, they should be spelled out

at first use, followed by the abbreviation in parentheses, and abbreviated throughout the rest of

the article.

American Petroleum Institute API

American Institute of Mining, Metallurgical and Petroleum Engineers AIME

American Association of Petroleum Geologists AAPG

American Chemical Society ACS

American Gas Association AGA


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American Geophysical Union AGU

American Society for Testing and Materials ASTM

American Society of Civil Engineers ASCE

American Society of Mechanical Engineers ASME

American Institute of Chemical Engineers AIChE

European Association of Geoscientists and Engineers EAGE

Gas Technology Institute GTI

International Association of Drilling Contractors IADC

Iron and Steel Society ISS

National Association of Corrosion Engineers NACE

Petrotechnical Open Software Corporation POSC

Society of Exploration Geophysicists SEG

Society for Mining, Metallurgy, and Exploration SME

Society of Professional Well Log Analysts SPWLA

The Minerals, Metals, and Materials Society TMS

US Department of Energy US DOE

5 PUNCTUATION

5.1 Comma

5.1.1 Do not use commas in dates in the day/month/year format.

The project began on 5 June 1994.

If the day of the month is not given, do not use a comma to separate the month and the year.

Waterflooding began in April 1975.


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5.1.2 In a series of three or more elements, use commas between each element and before the final

conjunction.

... papers by Rogers, Smith and Sloan, and Greenlee

... the effects of viscosity, flow rate, and porosity5.1.3 Use commas to set off states used with locations.

Jim Wilson Jr. arrived in Bakersfield, California, USA, last week.

5.1.4. Do not set off II and III or Jr. and Sr. with commas.


5.1.5 Use a comma to separate two coordinate adjectives that modify the same noun; however, do not

use the comma when the adjectives depend on what follows. The comma is needed when the

adjectives are similar in meaning.

an efficient, simple, cheap way

a dark red dye

a dark red, commercial dye

Commas are used correctly if they logically can be replaced by and.

5.1.6 Set off parenthetical words or phrases with commas.

Of course, we decided to stay.

We should, nevertheless, leave soon.

5.2 Colon

5.2.1 Use a colon after a complete sentence to introduce a formal list, examples, equations, or an

additional statement.

5.2.2 Do not insert a colon between a verb or preposition and its object(s).

Incorrect: The benefits of this practice were: timeliness and cost savings.

Correct: The data were time, volume, and depth.

5.2.3 Use a colon to introduce a long, formal quotation.

5.2.4 Use a colon to express a ratio between numbers; use a slash (/) to express a ratio with words (e.g.,

area/volume ratio).


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5.2.5 Phrases after a colon are capitalized if they are a full sentence. However, if they are part of a list

or are an incomplete thought, they are not capitalized.

5.3 Semicolon

5.3.1 Use the semicolon to separate clauses that are not linked by a conjunction and to separate long,

involved coordinate clauses.

Drilling to such depths is rare; much of the technology is experimental and rapidly changing.

5.3.2 Use the semicolon to divide elements in a series when any of the elements contains commas. This

is common in paper bylines as well as Acknowledgment sections.

Section officers are Jim Black, Chairperson; Susan Hall, Program Chairperson; and BillWilliams, Secretary.

5.3.3 Organize material between semicolons around common elements.

Committee members are Jim Black, chairperson, and Sam Smith, secretary, Tonka OilCompany; Directors Al Jones, PDQ Drilling Company, and Max Wentworth, ShermanAssociates; and Joe Johnson, vice chair, Texas Tools.

Exception: The order of authors listed on a paper is important; it reflects their level of

contribution to the paper. As a result, authors should never be reordered or grouped to simplify

company lists.

5.3.4 Use the semicolon before conjunctive adverbs such as therefore, however, thus,moreover, and consequently.

The first test failed; consequently, we ran another.

Note: Whereas should be preceded by a comma, never a semicolon.


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5.4 Apostrophe

5.4.1 Apostrophes should be consistently typeset in curly form, not straight and vertical or slanted like

an accent.

Exception:for use on websites, apostrophes are used in straight form.

5.4.2 Use the possessive form for informal measures involving time, space, and quantity.

3 years experience a dimes worth a yards length

5.4.3 Use the apostrophe alone to form the possessive of a plural noun ending in s. Use s to form the

possessive of words not ending in s.

the muds weight the wells total production

5.4.4 DO NOTuse an apostrophe when forming the plural of figures, letters, years, abbreviations, etc.

the 1920s all As BHAs

5.4.5 The apostrophe replaces an omitted letter or letters in contractions.

didnt shouldnt huff n puff

5.4.6 Use s when forming the possessive of an abbreviated word.

The US DOEs latest study is a revealing one.

Total-ELFs well in the area has enjoyed great productivity.

5.4.7 When forming the possessive of compounds, the last part of the compound takes the possessive

form.

the equation of states derivation

5.4.8 For words showing joint possession, only the last in the succession takes the possessive.

Smith and Jones paper

5.4.9 Individual possession is indicated by forming the possessive of each word in the group.

Smiths, Johnsons, and Jones papers

5.5 Parentheses

5.5.1 Use parentheses to set off phrases that start with i.e. or e.g.


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5.5.2 Use parentheses to set off explanatory or incidental matter that is not part of the main thought of

the sentence.

The time was right (despite some feelings to the contrary) to begin construction.

5.5.3 Use brackets [ ] around a parenthetical phrase already containing parentheses.The difference was small [compared with the earlier study (1976)].

5.6 Quotation Marks

5.6.1 Quotation marks should be consistently typeset in curly form (e.g., like this).

Exception:for use on websites, quotations are used in straight form.

5.6.2 In general, use quotation marks to cite exact phraseology from another source, and to set off titles

when italics are not used.

5.6.3 Use quotation marks at the opening of each paragraph and at the close of the final paragraph of a

long quotation. If the quotation is to be set in contrasting type or to be indented from the rest of

the copy, do not use the quotation marks.

5.6.4 Set commas and periods inside quotation marks. Other punctuation marks go inside the quotation

marks only if they belong to the material quoted.

5.7 Dashes

5.7.1 There are several kinds of dashes, differing from one another according to length. The main ones

are the en and em dashes. The en dash is half the length of an em dash and longer than a hyphen:

Em dash: En dash: Hyphen: -

NOTE: The dash isneversurrounded by spaces.

In titles, colons are preferred in place of em dashes.

5.7.2 The most commonly used dash is the em dash, which is used to denote a sudden break in thought

that causes an abrupt change in sentence structure; a pair of em dashes often sets such an intrusive

item apart from the sentence parenthetically.

The Platonic world of the static and Hegelian world of processhow great the contrast!

The chancellorhe had been awake half the night waiting in vain for a replycame down tobreakfast in an angry mood.


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An em dash also is inserted in the caption of a figure after its designation.

Fig. 1Cutaway drawing of a well. Table 1Field Properties

5.7.3 The principal use of the en dash is to indicate continuing or inclusive numbers, such as in dates,

times, or references.

196872 10 a.m.5 p.m. 09001300

MayJune 1967 pp. 3845 02300500

35 March 2002 13 May 19659 June 1966

5.7.4 Do not mix the use of the en dash in this manner with words, such as between/and or from/to,

in expressing a range.

Use either from 1968 to 1972 or 196872

NOT from 196872 or between 196872Use between 10 a.m. and 5 p.m. or from 1000 to 1700. or 10 a.m.5p.m. or 13001630

NOT from 10 a.m.5 p.m. or from 14001800

5.7.5 When the concluding date of an expression denoting a duration of time is in the unforeseeable

future, the en dash is still used.

North Texas area wells contributing information to the ongoing study include Crumley B-213

(1979), McConnell C-124 (19791992), West B-246 (1979), and Bruce A-317 (1979

1983).

5.8 Hyphenation

5.8.1 Do not use hyphens to express a range of figures. Instead, use the complete idiom except with

dates, page numbers, and addresses.

from 20 to 30% NOT from 2030%

5.8.2 Hyphens normally are not needed after ordinary prefixes.

coeducation hydroelectric electrochemical interconnection

Midwestern quasilegal pseudosteady multiphase

nonlinear repressured subsea prestimulation

semilog ultradeep updip


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However, use a hyphen after a prefix when a vowel is doubled (exceptions are cooperate,

coordinate, isooctane, and microorganism).

re-elect pre-eminent semi-insoluble

Also, use a hyphen when the prefix precedes a proper name.

non-Newtonian post-OrdovicianUse a hyphen after any prefix if omitting it will convey the wrong meaning.

re-cover recover re-treat retreat

re-form reform co-operate cooperate

5.8.3 Hyphenate compound customary units of measurement.

acre-ft md-ft

5.8.4 Hyphenate expressions such as n-pentane. However, do not hyphenate ordinary chemical

combinations used as modifiers or chemical names with prefixes.

a sodium chloride solution hydroxyacetic acid

5.8.5 Do not use a hyphen between words to take the place of and or or. Instead, use a slash.

oil/water interface pressure/time plot section/chapter news

pressure/volume/temperature data

5.8.6 Hyphenate the following terms.

president-elect

three-fourths (and other fractions that are spelled out)

5.8.7 Use hyphens to avoid ambiguity.

the lower-production interval (interval producing a lower production than other intervals)

the lower production interval (interval of production that is physically lower than others)

or when two or more words in their combined sense modify a noun.

round-the-clock watch all-time record in-situ combustion five-spot flood

oil-in-place calculations gas-cap material stock-tank oil straight-line portions

restored-state cores trial-and-error method 6-in. hole second-order equation

clay-containing fluid rule-of-thumb method steady-state flow cross-sectional area

peer-reviewed paper


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Note that when such terms follow the word modified, they do not ordinarily require hyphens:

the well is shut in combustion occurred in situ

barrels of oil in place fluid containing clay

When a unit of measurement comes before a noun, if it is preceded by an article, it should be

hyphenated; if there is no article, there should be no hyphen.It is a 75-lbm drill bit. It is set at 75 ft true vertical depth.

5.8.8 Adjective phrases formed by an adverb and a verb usually are hyphenated:

a slow-moving front the quick-drying cement

but not adverb/adjective combinations where the adverb ends in -ly.

regularly producing well fully developed field

Some other combinations do not take hyphens.

relative permeability capillary pressure gamma ray

5.8.9 Use the suspended (floating) hyphen for relating similar qualities.

The pressure- and temperature-dependent characteristics must be established.

5.8.10 Fold is a joined suffix unless formed with a hyphenated number or numeral.

twofold 100-fold Twenty-five-fold

5.8.11 Hyphenate compound directions when they are used to form one direction. Use a slash to

represent to in a direction.

The wind blew from the north-northwest.

The fault ran northwest/northeast.

5.8.12 Only break words and hyphenate them at the ends of the lines of right-margin-justified copy.

Ragged-right-margin copy should not have word breaks.

5.9 Ampersands

Ampersands, which substitute for and, are not permitted in most instances. Exceptions includea few abbreviations (such as E&P, R&D, and BS&W), as well as preservation of the ampersand

where it appears in trade names and publication titles. Avoid using ampersands in the titles of

SPE meetings.

SPE Res. Eval. & Eng. SPE Drilling & Completion

Health, Safety, Security, Environment & Social Responsibility discipline area


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5.10 Web-Related Items

5.10.1 Most uses of the prefix e to denote computerized or electronic form are hyphenated and

lowercase.

e-business e-commerceExceptions: email, eBook

5.10.2 The e-prefix is not capitalized, even in a title or at the beginning of a sentence, unless it is part of

copy that is already in all capital letters.

A Closer Look at e-Commerce

e-business is looking better all the time.

WELCOME TO THE E-ZONE!

5.10.3 The e-prefix is not hyphenated in the use of a trademarked name with this as its style.

eSPE (defunct)

eUpdate

eLibrary (defunct)

5.10.4 Web addresses are formatted in plain typeface, with no hyperlink (i.e., no underline or special

color), and followed by a period if the Web address ends the sentence.

You can find the site by searching for it at www.webcrawler.com.

Exception:

Digital object indentifiers (dois) are formatted with the full URL according to guidelinesissued by Cross-Ref for the use of dois. http://dx.doi.org/10.2118/114172-MS

5.11 Typeface

5.11.1 Boldtypeface is used for such things as authors names in bylines and on first use in author

biographies; section headings in articles; and first mention of figures and tables (see Sec. 8.3.5).

Examples:

Byline:

A.C. Clarke,Monolith Communications, and I. Asimov,US Robotics.

Author biographies:

Arthur C. Clarkeis the author of 2001: A Space Odysseyand many other books. Clarkeholds a PhD in astronomy from Oxford University and is credited with inventing the conceptof the communications satellite. Isaac Asimovis the author of more than 500 books, many


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about robots; he is even credited with having coined the word robotics. He holds a PhD inbiochemistry from Columbia University.

5.11.2 In most situations, any punctuation accompanying a boldface citation is set in bold as well.

Note trends shown in Fig. 1.

When a figure is cited for the first time and happens to be in parentheses, both the figure number

and the parentheses should be bold, along with any punctuation that immediately follows the

parentheses (Fig. 2).If a figure is cited for the first time and is enclosed in parentheses along with

additional text, then ONLY the figure designation should be bold, not the parentheses or any

following punctuation (see data in Fig. 3).

Bold the first reference to a portion of a multipartite figure (Fig. 1a),but leave subsequentreferences to other parts in normal type.

5.11.3 Italictypeface is used for such things as species names; all periodical titles; and a number ofmathematical elements (see Sec. 8.7.1).

In Europe, the pike,Esox lucius, is valued for food as well as sport.

SPE Journal has many fine articles, but those intheNational Enquirer are a bit moreentertaining.

5.11.4 Normal typeface is used for the majority of the print in a paper. In a passage of italic type, any

terms that would be set off in italics in normal type are converted to normal type for contrast.

Wells, H.G. 1910. Geological Absurdities in Journey to the Center of the Earth by Jules

Verne, 6669. London: Gnome Press.

Also, certain technical terms are set in normal type, despite general rules that may apply to the

contrary in some situations: M (for molar) and N (for normal), for example.


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6 NAMES

6.1 People, Personal Titles, Degrees

6.1.1 When possible, write a persons name as that person writes it. Particularly observe preferences in

the use of initials or given name, spelling of Mc and Mac, and capitalization of prefixes such

as de, da, du, le, van, and von. When personal preferences cannot be determined, use

two or more initials or, if only one given name is available, spell out the first name and capitalize

all prefixes except von and de.

William L. Strong W.L. Strong

William L. (Skipper) Strong Skipper Strong

6.1.2 Do not use the titles Mr., Mrs., Ms., Miss, Prof., or Dr. Occasionally, cultural norms will dictate

the use of an honorific.

6.1.3 Do not use commas to set off II, III, Jr., or Sr. in names.


6.1.4 When an author or speakers nickname is used, it should be enclosed in parentheses at the first

reference.

W.T. (Bud) Parker

6.1.5 In running text, capitalize and spell out formal titles such as president, chairman, or vice president

when they precede a name and the or a is not used. All titles appearing after the persons

name should be lowercase. In program listings and headings, capitalize major words in titles,

department names, etc.

The meetings will be hosted by President Jane Smith.

Meetings are hosted by the president of Acme, Jane Smith.

Giovanni Paccaloni, who served as 2005 SPE president, is being honored with an award.

Giovanni Paccaloni, 2005 SPE President

Please contact Maxwell Jones, vice president, finance.


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6.1.6 Abbreviate academic and honorary degrees without periods or spaces. Use of the word degree

is optional.

PhD MA LLB degree

6.1.7 Do not capitalize academic degrees when spelled out. Do not capitalize a field of study such asphysics or petroleum engineering.

bachelors degree BS in physics

6.1.8 Capitalize honorary membership titles and other SPE honors, awards, and distinctions.

SPE Distinguished Service Medal SPE Honorary Member

6.1.9 In reference lists and in technical program listings of papers and authors, use the authors initials

instead of his/her given name and spell out his/her family name. Do not insert spaces between an

authors initials.

M.B. Shelley G.B.L. Jones G. Elliot

J.-P. Smith (in the instance of Jean-Paul Smith)

6.1.10 Authors names should be printed in bold in the author credits (byline) at first use, in regular type

afterward.

6.1.11 Do not capitalize the names of devices, methods, theories, techniques, systems, or laws (except

for proper names that are included).

Darcys law Cartesian coordinates Muskat method

Laplace transform pendant-drop method Stokes law


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6.2 Companies, Organizations

6.2.1 Capitalize names of regions, sections, chapters, committees, and other units of SPE when written

in full. Do not capitalize the general term when used alone or in the plural form.

Permian Basin Section the section

SPE Board of Directors the board meeting

6.2.2 Capitalize names of companies, institutes, foundations, colleges, universities, associations, etc.,

but do not capitalize the general term when used alone or in the plural form except in cases

covered under Sec. 6.2.4.

Faraday Society society goals 25-Year Club members

6.2.3 Capitalize the official names of departments, districts, divisions, and similar major subdivisions

of companies, organizations, or universities. Do not capitalize the general term when alone or

plural.

Department of Petroleum Engineering API Production Division

the Geosciences and Chemistry departments the Monograph and Books committees

6.2.4 Capitalize all letters in company names only if they are true acronyms, each letter standing for a

single word.

THUMS Texaco, Humble, Union, Mobil, and Standard

Arco Atlantic Richfield CompanyAramco Saudi American Oil Company

6.2.5 Capitalize names of specific national and state legislative, executive, and judicial bodies.

US Supreme Court UK Parliament

6.2.6 Capitalize official names of organizations but not general terms.

US Navy the navy


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6.2.7 Do not capitalize such words as national, federal, government, and state in nonspecific or

incomplete references.

federal bureau government agencies

state bureaus Nigerian government6.2.8 If you abbreviate names of societies and government agencies, use no periods or spaces.

SPE NPF AAPG API UKOOA IATMI

6.3 Geographic

6.3.1 Most names of cities should be followed by the state and country or the country in which they are

located. The major oil industry centers and well-known cities listed here can be used alone.

Aberdeen

Abu Dhabi

Amsterdam

Anchorage

Athens

Beijing

Berlin

Buenos Aires

Cairo

Calcutta

Calgary

Caracas

Chicago

Dallas

Denver

Doha

Dubai

Hong Kong

Houston

Jakarta

Kuala Lumpur

Lagos

London

Los Angeles

Mexico City

Moscow

Mumbai

New Orleans

New York City

Paris

Rio de Janeiro

Riyadh

Rome

San Francisco

Shanghai

Singapore

Stavanger

Sydney

The Hague

Tokyo

Tulsa

Washington, DC


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6.3.2 When providing locations in the US that are not listed in Sec. 6.3.1, give the city, state

(unabbreviated), USA. For locations outside the US and not listed in Sec. 6.3.1, give the city and

the country. Once a location has been established in an article or a program, the city can be

referred to without the state or country.

The 1997 SPE Annual Technical Conference and Exhibition will be in San Antonio, Texas,USA, on 58 October.

6.3.3 Capitalize such words as river, ocean, valley, etc., and geographic locations when they represent

worldwide accepted usage, real properties, or legal entities.

Pacific Ocean Gulf of Mexico Glasscock Unit North Sea

Middle East Loire Valley Platform B

6.3.4 Do not capitalize terms that refer to a direction or general location.

west Texas eastern Europe offshore Egypt

midcontinent area (BUT Mid-Continent Section of SPE)

6.3.5 Do not capitalize geologic formations, such as belt, formation, zone, field, pay, basin, pool,

reservoir, delta, sand, shale, and trend.

Arbuckle zone Cardium A pool east Texas field Delaware basin

Exceptions: Permian Basin and Overthrust Belt

6.3.6 Capitalize geologic ages (e.g., Mesozoic), including leading adjectives (e.g., Upper Jurassic).

6.3.7 Capitalize the word the in The Hague and The Netherlands, as well as other official names of

institutions [e.g., The Woodlands Marriott Hotel]; for additional examples, refer to theChicago

Manual of Style.

However, do not capitalize the article The when it does not begin a sentence and refers to an

academic institution.

Correct:The University of Texas enjoys a sizeable endowment.

Incorrect:The author is a member of the faculty at The University of Texas at Austin.

6.4 Meeting Names

6.4.1 The official names of SPE meetings are listed in the SPE Long-Range Meetings Calendar. SPE

meetings should be referred to by the name that appears in this document. Colons are preferred in

place of em dashes in official meeting names.


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6.4.2 The number of the meeting should not be considered part of the official meeting name. For

example, in the phrase the 2010 SPE 85thAnnual Technical Conference and Exhibition, 85th

is not part of the title, only the year, organization and conference name.

6.4.3 Do not abbreviate any portion of the name of an SPE meeting. If using the full name is awkwardbecause of its length, rewrite the sentence or use a generic term, such as the conference. The

Offshore Technology Conference may be referred to as OTC, and the SPE Annual Technical

Conference and Exhibition may be referred to as ATCE.

6.4.4 Capitalization of meeting names should follow capitalization rules for titles (see Sec. 8.1). Colons

are preferred in place of em dashes in official meeting names.

7 NUMBERS

7.1 General

7.1.1 Large, rounded numbers should be written with the words million and billion or expressed in

powers of 10 notation, with the number before the greater than 0 and less than 10. Spell out the

preceding numerals if nine or less, except with sums of money or units of measurement (hours,

days, years, and other units of time are considered units of measurement). Never use billion,

trillion, etc., with SI metric units.

40 million six million consumers 8 106

m3

/d USD 4 million

7.1.2 Do not use commas in numbers in dates, pages, and addresses. Numbers of more than three digits

used with customary (i.e., not SI metric) and nondimensional units use the comma.

456,789 bbl 2,956 ft October 1997

Page 1171 1600 Pennsylvania Ave.

Do not use the comma with SI metric units. Use a space instead; four-digit numbers followed by

SI metric units require no space.

4 720 525 m3 1525 m

7.1.3 Use the suspended hyphen when expressing a numerical series of dimensions.

The 3-, 5-, and 7-in. wellbores

A 25- to 50-lbm/bbl mud (Not A 2550-lbm/bbl mud )

7.1.4 Ratios are punctuated with a colon when using numbers, with a slash when using words.

60:20 area/volume


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7.2 Dates and Times

7.2.1 Use numerals, not words, to express times and dates (exceptions are noon, midnight, and names

of days and months). Do not use commas in dates in the date/month/year format (see Sec. 5.1.1).

6 p.m. (not six p.m.)The startup date was 5 June 1977.

If the day of the month is not given, do not use a comma to separate the month and the year.

Waterflooding began in April 1975.

7.2.2 SPE uses the 24-hour clock for its events, including all major meetings (ATCE, OTC, IPTC,

Offshore Europe, and the Drilling Conference). When using the 24-hour clock, colons are not

used (e.g., 1400 hours) Exceptions are determined on a case-by-case basis and include regional

events where the 12-hour clock is customary to the regional attendees. Include hours after thetime in text, but not in a listing of times, such as a schedule of events.

The course begins at 0800 hours.

0800 to 1200 Registration

7.2.3 Write 12-hour time with lower-case letters and periods. Provide the digits for minutes only when

necessary.

10 a.m. 3:37 p.m.

Use noon and midnight rather than 12 p.m. or 12 a.m. Do not use 12 noon or 12midnight.

7.2.4 Time ranges should include a.m. and p.m. for both ends only if an event begins in one and ends in

the other. If the event is contained entirely in morning or afternoon, only the second time carries

the designation of it.

from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. 11 a.m.6 p.m. 1011 a.m.

from 2 to 6 p.m. 8 a.m.noon

7.3 Phone Numbers

Use country codes with all phone numbers. The country code for the US and Canada is 1. Use

periods rather than hyphens, parentheses, or slashes to separate parts of phone numbers.

1.972.952.9393 44.171.487.4250 1.800.555.1212

7.4 Units of Measure

See also Abbreviations: Units (Sec. 4.3).


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7.4.1 Use the slash (/) in place of per between two abbreviated units of measurement with the

exceptions BOPD, BFPD, BLPD, BWPD.

40 psi/ft 15 cm/s 40 lbm/ft 20/40-mesh sand

7.4.2 Use the degree sign () with angles, temperatures [except metric K (Kelvin)], and compasscoordinates.

20 slope 65F 2W

Do not use for feet or for inches. Instead, use ft and in.



per day). A list of preferred abbreviations for engineering units appears in Sec. 4.3.10.

25 ft 50 million ft3/D 10 dm3 3 cm3

7.4.4 Use the singular abbreviation for both singular and plural forms of measurements. If not

abbreviated, use plural if appropriate.

7.4.5 Use only customary (i.e., English system) units or only SI units; do not mix.

Exception:

Pipe sizes always can be expressed in inches, even if the rest of the text uses metric units.

7.4.6 Percentages are expressed with the percent symbol (%) and are abbreviated as follows.

25% 12 mass% 21 vol% 17 mol% 13 wt%

7.5 Whole Numbers

7.5.1 In general, spell out zero and whole numbers from one through nine; use figures for 10 or

more.

one two three 10 101

first second third 10th 101st

7.5.2 Use figures if the number expresses a unit of measurement or ratio.

1% 6 km 3 in. 6 m 2:1 20C

7.5.3 Use figures for dates, street addresses, currency, and times of day.

USD 3 USD 0.27 2 p.m. 55 Park Avenue


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7.5.4 Use figures for numbers when grouping similar things if any of the numbers are greater than 10.

contains 4 to 16 pages contains four to six pages

7.5.5 In general, avoid Roman numerals. Use Arabic numbers to designate tables, figures, and

equations.

7.5.6 Spell out the first term to distinguish between two numbers that come together.

twenty-one 2-acre tracts two 3-hour tests

7.5.7 Spell out numbers that begin a sentence. If the numbers are so large that the sentence becomes

awkward, rewrite the sentence.

Ten wells are producers; 13 are dry holes.

Four-in. pipe was set.

7.5.8 When using the number 1 or the word one in text can lead to confusion, the term unity may

be substituted (e.g., for mobility ratios other than unity).

7.5.9 Use a capital X to indicate magnification: 500X.

7.6 Fractions

7.6.1 Spell out common fractions when they are used alone in the text. Use figures when the fraction is

combined with a whole number or when it is used with a unit of measurement. Common fractionsdo not exist in the SI metric system; use decimal notation instead.

2 pages -in. tubing 3.25 kg one-half the normal time

7.6.2 When writing decimal fractions, place a zero before the decimal point (0.5, not .5).


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7.7 Currency

7.7.1 When expressing currencies, select the appropriate three-letter abbreviation from the list of ISO

currency abbreviations (the list can be found at http://www.iso.org/iso/en/prods-

services/popstds/currencycodeslist.html) for the first usage, and omit the currency symbol ($, ,). If currencies alternate repeatedly (i.e., if there is more than one switch) within a paper or

document, use the abbreviation at each instance of a currency. However, if a currency will be

used often and/or consistently throughout a paper or other SPE material, such as on meeting

registration forms, an asterisked footnote noting the type of currency used (e.g., Prices are in US

dollars.) is sufficient.

USD 50.25 CAD 90.50 JPY 500 GBP 50 EUR 10.50

7.7.2 In text, drop unnecessary zeroes from currencies. For example, write USD 10 rather than USD

10.00. Retain the two decimals in a column of currencies only if one or more of the prices listed

requires them.

12 USD 55.50 12.00

18 USD 50.00 13.43

11 USD 35.25 12.00

7.8 Dimensions

7.8.1 The designations three-dimensional, four-dimensional, etc., are generally written as 3D, 4D, etc.

7.8.2 When physical dimensions are written out, they are expressed in numerals, and a multiplication

symbol appears between the dimensions without any additional spacing. The unit is specified

afterward normally.

Each cell is 84845 ft.

8 ELEMENTS OF TECHNICAL PAPERS

8.1 Titles and Headings

8.1.1 In titles and headings for books, articles, lectures, etc., capitalize nouns, pronouns, adverbs, and

all other words of four or more letters. Also capitalize no, nor, off, out, so, and up.

Capitalize words of fewer than four letters if they are a verb or part of or closely connected to a

verb.

Held Up To Inject Can Be Produced


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8.1.2 Capitalize both parts of a compound adjective.

Two-Phase In-Situ Full-Sized

8.1.3 Use a colon (preferred) or an em dash, rather than a comma, to set off part of the title; capitalize

the first word after the em dash or colon, and then capitalize normally as for titles generally.Corrosive Service: A Study in Economics

Horizontal DrillingNew Horizons

8.2 Author and Company Names

8.2.1 Author names on technical papers should include the name of each author, followed by SPE if

he/she is an SPE member, followed by his/her company affiliation. While SPE prefers the use of

initials in the byline, authors can elect to use full names instead.

Joseph B. Brown, SPE, Consolidated Flange; Paul D. Smith, Smith Consulting; and EdwardWhite, SPE, Worldwide Washers

8.2.2 If two or more authors in a row have the same company affiliation, it should not be repeated after

each name.

Edward White, SPE, Paul D. Smith, and Joseph B. Brown, SPE, Consolidated Flange; andS.R. Lane, SPE, Worldwide Washers

NOTE:The order of authors is important and should never be changed to simplify company

references.

8.2.3 Corporate suffixes should be included in author bylines, as well as bios, if they are provided. The

following is a list of common abbreviations for these suffixes.

A.B. Aktiebolag (Finland, Sweden)

A.G. Aktiengesellschaft (Austria, Germany, Switzerland)

A/L Andelslag (Norway)

A/S Aksjeselskap (Denmark, Norway)

Bpk. Beperk (South Africa)

B.V. Besloten Vennootschap met beperkte, Anasprakelijkheid (The Netherlands)

C.A. Compaa Annima (Venezuela)

Cia. Companhia/Compana (Brazil, Portugal, Spain, Latin America)

Cie. Compagnie (Belgium, France, Luxembourg)


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Co. Company

Corp. Corporation

CRL Compaa de Responsabilidad Limitada (Spain)

C.V. Commanditaine Vennootschap (The Netherlands)

Edms. Bpk. Eiendoms Beperk (South Africa)

Ets. Etablissements(s) (Belgium, France, Luxembourg)

Ges. Gesellschaft (Austria, Germany, Switzerland)

GmbH Gesellschaft mit Beschrnkter Haftung (Austria, Germany, Switzerland)

H.B. Handelsbolag (Sweden)

Inc. Incorporated (US)

I/S Interessentselskab (Denmark, Norway)

K.B. Kommanditbolag (Sweden)

K.G. Kommanditgesellschaft (Austria, Germany, Switzerland)

K.K. Kabushiki Kaisha (Japan)

K/S Kommandittselsap (Denmark, Norway)

LLC Limited Liability Company (Middle East, US)

Ltd. Limited (Ireland, Pakistan, South Africa, UK, US, Zimbabwe)

Ltda. Limitada (Brazil, Portugal, Spain)

Ltee. Limitee (Canada)

mbH mit beschranker Haftung (Austria, Germany, Switzerland)

Mij. Maatschappij (The Netherlands)

N.L. No Liability (Australia)

NPL No Personal Liability (Canada)

N.V. Naamloze Vennootschap (Belgium, The Netherlands)

Oy. Osakeyhtiot (Finland)

plc Public Limited Company (UK)


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P.T. Perushaan Terbetas (Indonesia, often appears before company name)

Pte. Private (Singapore)

Pty. Proprietary (Australia, South Africa)

Pvt. Private (India, Zimbabwe)

S.A. Societ Anonyme (Belgium, France, Luxembourg, Switzerland)

Sociedad Annima (Spain, Spanish Latin America)

SAI Sociedad Annima Inversiones (Spanish Latin America)

SAC Sociedad Annima Comercial (Spanish Latin America)

SARL Sociedad Annima de Responsabilidade Limmitada (Brazil, Portugal)

Societ Anonyme Responsabilit Limite (Belgium, France, Luxembourg)

Sdn. Bhd. Sendirian Berhad (Malaysia)

S.L. Sociedad Limitada (Spain, Portugal, Latin America)

Soc. Cve. Societ Cooprative (Belgium)

SpA Societ per Azioni (Italy)

SRL Societ a Responsabilita Limitata (Italy)

S.V. Samenwerkende Vennootschap (Belgium)

8.2.4 Bylines must be punctuated properly so as to avoid confusion of credit or affiliation. Below are

examples of different byline constructions and how they ought to be punctuated.

2 people, 1 company: No comma before the and.

Joe Ford and Tom Gibson, ExxonMobil Corp.

2 people, 2 companies: Comma before the and.

Joe Ford, ExxonMobil Corp., and Brad Smith, Schlumberger

3 people, 3 companies: Semicolons to separate, and semicolon before the and.Joe Ford, ExxonMobil Corp.; Brad Smith, Schlumberger; and Karen Moore, BP

X people, 2 companies: commas to separate, and comma before the and.

Joe Ford, Tom Gibson, and Steve Johnson, ExxonMobil Corp., and Karen Moore and JanFoster, BP


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X people, 3+ companies: semicolons to separate, and semicolon before the and.

Joe Ford and Tom Gibson, ExxonMobil Corp.; Jan Foster, BP; Brad Smith, Schlumberger;and George White, Chris Jones, and Sandra Kennedy, Batman and Robin Consulting Inc.

X people, 3+ companies, with repeated companies: semicolons to separate, and semicolon before

the and.

Joe Ford and Tom Gibson, ExxonMobil Corp.; Jan Foster, BP; Roger Mitchell, ExxonMobilCorp.; Howard Fleming, BP; Brad Smith, Schlumberger; George White, Batman and RobinConsulting Inc.; and Frank Mills and Sally Bowers, Schlumberger.

8.2.5 When possible, write a persons name as he/she writes it. Particularly observe the spelling of

Mc and Mac and capitalization of prefixes such as de, da, du, le, van, and von.

When personal preferences are not determinable, use two initials rather than the given name (or

spell out the given name if you know only one), and capitalize all prefixes except von and de.

Also, be aware that the order of names (family name, given name, etc.) is different in differentcultures. The authors preference should always be considered.

8.2.6 Do not use the titles Mr., Mrs., Ms., Miss, Prof., or Dr.; occasionally, cultural norms will dictate

the use of an honorific.

8.2.7 Do not use department names or university locations in author listings on technical papers. Use

the name of the college or university only (which may include a location to differentiate it from

another branch of the school).

Omar Jordan, Texas A&M University; John Simpson, The University of Texas at Austin; andMahmoud Ali, Texas A&M University-Qatar.

8.3 Numbering Tables, Figures, and Equations

8.3.1 Use Arabic numbers to label tables and figures; number them in order cited consecutively through

the text and within appendices. Within each appendix, use Arabic numbers and the same letter

designation as that of the appendix (Eq. A-1, A-2, etc.; Eq. B-1, B-2, etc.). Label two-part

equations as Eq. 1a and Eq. 1b, or Eq. A-3a and Eq. A-3b. Do not label them as Eq. 1 and Eq. 1a,

or Eq. A-3 and Eq. A-3a.

8.3.2 Designate all illustrations and nontabular material by Fig. Do not use the words chart,

exhibit, graph, or photo when naming a specific figure. When referring to distinct parts of a

single figure, use lower-case letters: Fig. 2a, Fig. 2b, Fig. 2c, etc.

8.3.3 When citing two-part figures in text, use Figs. 2a and 2b rather than Figs. 2a and b.


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8.3.4 The first time a figure or table is cited in the text, put it in boldface. All subsequent citations of

that figure or table should be in regular typeface.

as shown in Fig. 1.Also note in Fig. 1 that the

However, if a p

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SPE Style Guide to Write Publications